Essential Research: COVID-19, leader attributes and more

A new poll finds a dip in the federal government’s still strong ratings on COVID-19, with only a small minority of respondents planning to skip the vaccine.

The latest fortnightly Essential Research poll does not include leader ratings or voting intention, but does have the following:

• The regular question on COVID-19 response finds the federal government’s good rating suffering a seven point dip to 62%, returning it to where it was for several months before an uptick in November, with the poor rating up two to 14%. The small sample results for mainland state governments also record a drop for the Victorian government, whose good rating is down ten to 49%, while the New South Wales government holds steady at 72% and the Queensland government’s drops three to 73%. As ever, particular caution must be taken with the Western Australian and South Australian results given the sample sizes, but they respectively retain the best (down three to 85%) and second best (down one to 78%) results out of the five.

• The poll finds 50% of respondents saying they will get vaccinated as soon as possible, 40% that they will do so but not straight away, and 10% that they will never get vaccinated. Variation by voting intention is within the margin of error. By way of contrast, a US poll conducted by Monmouth University last month produced the same 50% result for the “soon as possible option”, but had “likely will never get the vaccine” markedly higher at 24%. This increased to 42% among Republicans, and doesn’t that just say it all.

• The poll includes a pared back version of the pollster’s semi-regular suite of questions on leaders’ attributes in relation to Scott Morrison, but not Anthony Albanese. The consistent pattern here is that Morrison is a bit less highly rated than he was last May, but substantially stronger than he was during the bushfire crisis in January. However, he has done notably better on “good in a crisis” (from 32% last January to 66% in May to the current 59%) than “out of touch” (from 62% to 47% and now back up to 59%), whereas his gains since January on “more honest than most politicians” (now 50%), “trustworthy” (52%) and “visionary” (41%) are all either 11% or 12%. Two new questions have been thrown into the mix: “in control of their team” and “avoids responsibility”, respectively 56% at 49%.

• Respondents were asked to respond to a series of propositions concerning “the recent allegations of rape and sexual assault from women working in Parliament”, which found 65% agreeing the government has been “more interested in protecting itself than the interests of those who have been assaulted”. Forty-five per cent felt there was “no difference in the way the different political parties treat women”, though the view was notably more prevalent among men (54%) than women (37%), and among those at the conservative end of the voting spectrum (53% among Coalition voters, 41% among Labor voters and 30% among Greens voters).

• A number of questions on tech companies found an appetite for stronger regulation, including 76% support for forcing them to remove misinformation from their platforms.

The poll was conducted Wednesday to Monday from a sample of 1074; full results here.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

2,565 comments on “Essential Research: COVID-19, leader attributes and more”

Comments Page 2 of 52
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  1. Of course they do:

    Sally Neighbour
    @neighbour_s
    “The government is hopeful his appearance will mark the end of the matter.”

  2. Paul Karp @Paul_Karp

    #breaking The full federal court has DISMISSED David Leyonhjelm’s appeal against $120K defo bill owed to Sarah Hanson-Young in a 2-1 decision. #auspol #auslaw

  3. BK thanks for your daily round up.

    Where is Christian Porter’s 15 minute press conference being held?
    Perth?

    Will Premier Mark McGowan be there asking questions about state budget holes?

    Who leaked the letter that was sent to Penny Wong, Sarah Hanson Young & Scott Morrison?
    Was it someone in PMs office? Why?

    Was Christian Porter in contention as next Prime Minister?

  4. Frednk @ #58 Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 – 9:37 am

    I wish Mary Pemberton would tell us what she really thinks.

    In case you have not been paying attention our Prime Minister is an arrogant, lazy, cruel, duplicitous, bullish, sly, secretive, entitled, egotistical, authoritarian, misogynistic, privileged gaslighter.

    https://theshot.net.au/national/the-prime-minister-no-longer-has-any-legitimacy/

    Ah yes -all very well to mention this gentleman’s finer attributes – but is he yet eligible for a nomination from BK

  5. Where is Christian Porter’s 15 minute press conference being held?
    Perth?

    So that the heavy artillery from the female members of the CPG cannot be directed at him?

  6. Seems to be some vagueness as to time.

    Worth noting that Australian of the year and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame will be speaking at the Melbourne press club at 12.30. There obviously might be no overlap but it will be interesting to see how this is navigated by the ABC if they have to choose which to broadcast.

  7. Worth noting that Australian of the year and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame will be speaking at the Melbourne press club at 12.30. There obviously might be no overlap but it will be interesting to see how this is navigated by the ABC if they have to choose which to broadcast.

    Sorry if I’ve missed it, but what else is happening today at 12.30pm?

  8. @larissawaters
    PM didn’t even read the victim’s letter, yet spoke to the accused Min & parrots HIS view at the presser. PM simply doesn’t believe women & has no understanding of the dynamic of sexual assault or why most women DON’T report- they’re often not believed by ‘justice’ system #auspol

    @JamieLe48638907
    Replying to
    @larissawaters
    If an NRL player is accused of a serious crime he is stood down until the matter is concluded. The PMs stance yesterday washed the governments hands of the matter and said he would be taking no action. Do we seriously hold NRL players to a higher moral code than our politicians?

    Apparently so.

  9. Police say they will interview in the coming weeks the person who V2 claims raped her in Canberra. Why the delay? They have had her statement for a week. Some do a runner when facing a serious charge. They should proceed with haste with a decision as to whether he’s going to be charged and then bail conditions could be set, one of which is that he must surrender any passports he holds. As for Porter having lawyers with him at his public appearance this morning, one can only speculate.

  10. Jonathon Nunan
    @jonathonnunan
    ·
    1h
    Traditional Liberal voters wouldn’t be aware of what’s going on because all their usual media feeds have been busily covering the urgent issues of the day such as, Mr Potato Head, Dr Zeus, how awesome John Howard was and how all the world’s problems are the fault of Dan Andrews.

  11. Jenny Frecklington-Jones;
    #WearAMaskFace with medical mask@JonesHowdareyou · 11m
    Trioli says 12 noon for Cabinet minister presser and 12.30 for Grace Tame at the NPC.

  12. Mavis

    [They should proceed with haste with a decision as to whether he’s going to be charged and then bail conditions could be set, one of which is that he must surrender any passports he holds.]

    No. They should proceed with caution because they can fuck it up if they don’t.

    Often it takes more than one go to get the statement. Always other investigations are required to verify what you are told.

    The record of interview with a suspect (there voluntarily or under arrest) is vital. If it occurs (most accuseds will be advised not to participate), it is transcribed, video recorded and becomes evidence. The interviewing detective wants a pretty good case before he or she embarks on the process.

    No one can leave the country without permission and he has had a chance to be on the move so far but has not.

  13. Samantha Maiden
    @samanthamaiden
    ·
    1m
    There’s no time set yet for the cabinet minister’s press conference. It will be later today but is not yet locked in for noon as some have reported

  14. @AnthonyCole68
    You really have reached the pinnacle of career when you are the Attorney General and need a defamation lawyer at a press conference.
    Well done

  15. It was shopping day today, so can I just put my hand up and say I started the day with a Chocolate Eclair and a Strawberry milk? Normally I am a good girl and have fruit toast or multigrain toast. 🙂

  16. Patricia Karvelas
    @PatsKarvelas
    ·
    1m
    The Minister accused of historical rape will stand up AFTER the Tame press club address today. Mid arvo and before #afternoonbriefing #auspol

  17. mundosays:
    Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 10:28 am

    “My prediction…the Porter stuff will disappear faster than Robodebt.”

    ……..

    No. It won’t.
    It will remain a festering sore until the next scandal overtakes it.
    This is how rolling stuff-ups work.

    Edit: replaced an insensitive word choice.

  18. lizzie says:Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 9:39 am
    Fess
    Will the lawyer control the questions, like a minder?

    Nah, I expect Saint Scotty the Pure will be there to jump in and deflect, deflect, deflect if it looks like the nasty media will pick on his maattee by asking questions.

  19. “My prediction…the Porter stuff will disappear faster than Robodebt.”

    You also predicted, loudly and often, that Trump would win. And we haven’t seen a “Scrooter is toast I tells ya” for a while. Other things on your mind?

  20. “NRL players need to be charged before policy is engaged”

    True, but as that seems unlikely in this case, other courses of action need to be taken to investigate the matter, so the Minister should stand down while that occurs.

  21. Roy Orbison @ #88 Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 – 10:40 am

    “My prediction…the Porter stuff will disappear faster than Robodebt.”

    You also predicted, loudly and often, that Trump would win. And we haven’t seen a “Scrooter is toast I tells ya” for a while. Other things on your mind?

    The scary thing is Dotard nearly won. 75 million fukkers voted for him.
    And if it helps. Scrooter is toast. Toast I tells ya. My hearts not really in it, but what the hell.
    I predict the Porter stuff will disappear faster than Robodebt…….unless Albo ducks into a phone booth and puts on his SuperAlbo gear and rips Scrooter a new one. Then he’ll be toast!
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    TOAST I TELLS YA!&^()*%^$%$@!!!!%^$#$%!@##@!!!!!!!!!

  22. Arthur @ #85 Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 – 10:38 am

    mundosays:
    Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 10:28 am

    “My prediction…the Porter stuff will disappear faster than Robodebt.”

    ……..

    No. It won’t.
    It will remain a festering sore until the next scandal overtakes it.
    This is how rolling clusterfucks work.

    The result is the same.
    Scrooter survives another one.

  23. mundosays:
    Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 10:56 am
    zoomster @ #86 Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 – 10:39 am

    “Oh, mundo’s not interested in what women think.

    How do you know?”

    ………….

    Maybe not the most appropriate time for smartarsery?

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